1. The action of a lever; the arrangement by which lever-power is applied; also concr. a system of levers.
1724. Lond. Gaz., No. 6273/8. An Engine…, which … by means of a Leveridge and an Horizontal Fly,… can Raise … Water.
1839. R. S. Robinson, Naut. Steam Eng., 99. It resolves itself into a system of leverage.
1884. trans. Lotze’s Logic, 258. The length of leverage must vary inversely as the strength of the force.
2. The power of a lever; the mechanical advantage gained by the use of a lever. Leverage of a force (see quot. 1830).
1830. Kater & Lardner, Mech., x. 135. The distance of the direction of a force from the axis is sometimes called the leverage of the force.
1845. Todd & Bowman, Phys. Anat., I. 146. The extension of the os calcis … affords a considerable leverage to the muscles of the calf of the leg.
1860. O. W. Holmes, Elsie V., xvi. (1891), 221. Leverage is everything.
1879. G. Macdonald, Sir Gibbie, II. xiii. 224. The stream worked at the roots, and the wind laid hold of him with fierce leverage.
1882. Knowledge, No. 19. 403/2. The actual leverage increases as A W is increased, supposing the oar’s length to remain unchanged.
b. fig. Advantage for accomplishing a purpose; increased power of action.
1858. Gladstone, Homer, III. 113. The leverage of this straightforward speech … produces an initial movement towards concession on the part of the great hero.
1868. Helps, Realmah, v. (1876), 86. And it will be putting additional leverage into his hands.
1883. Contemp. Rev., Dec., 790. With regard to such men the moralist has no leverage whatever.
3. attrib.
1838. Poe, A. G. Pym, Wks. 1864, IV. 162. A vast leverage power was obtained.
1851. H. Stephens, Bk. of Farm (ed. 2), I. 258/1. This bend gives a leverage power to the handle, when the graip is used to lift rank wet litter.
